The subject matter described and/or illustrated herein relates generally to electrical connectors, and, more particularly, to electrical connectors that include contact arrays.
Electrical connectors that are commonly used in telecommunication systems provide an interface between successive runs of cables and/or between cables and electronic devices of the system. Some of such electrical connectors, for example modular jacks, are configured to be joined with a mating plug and include a contact sub-assembly having an array of mating contacts. Each of the mating contacts of the contact sub-assembly includes a mating interface that engages a corresponding contact of the mating plug at a mating end portion of the contact sub-assembly. The contact sub-assembly may also include a plurality of wire terminating contacts at a wire terminating end portion of the contact sub-assembly. The wire terminating contacts may be electrically connected to the mating contacts via a circuit board.
The mating contacts are typically held by a base of the contact sub-assembly. The base holds the mating interfaces of the mating contacts in a predetermined arrangement in which each of the mating interfaces is positioned to engage the corresponding contact of the mating plug. Specifically, the base holds the mating contacts such that the mating interfaces of adjacent mating contacts have a predetermined spacing therebetween, sometimes referred to as pitch. The pitch between the mating contacts locates each of the mating interfaces for engagement with the corresponding contact of the mating plug. The predetermined arrangement of the mating interfaces may be, for example, a known industry standard such as International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) 60603-7.
The spacing methods and structures of at least some known contact sub-assemblies may be more difficult and/or expensive to manufacture and/or assemble than may be desired. For example, the base of at least some known contact sub-assemblies includes a plurality of slots at the mating end portion of the contact sub-assembly. The slots are spaced apart from each other according to the predetermined pitch between the mating contacts. Each slot holds the end portion of one of the mating contacts therein such that the mating interfaces of the mating contacts are spaced apart by the predetermined pitch. In addition or alternative, the base of at least some known contact sub-assemblies may also include a plurality slots adjacent the wire terminating end portion of the contact sub-assembly for attaining the predetermined pitch between the mating contacts. However, such slots within the base may increase the difficulty and/or cost of manufacturing the base and/or the contact sub-assembly. Moreover, such slots within the base may make it more difficult to mount the mating contacts on the base, which may increase the difficulty and/or cost of assembling the contact sub-assembly.